By Mary MacElveen
January 26, 2010
Have you ever read a newspaper article that left you tearing your hair out, banging your head as you read it and screaming into the atmosphere? Well, last week, one article left me doing just that. It did not deal with larger national and international issues, but a local issue that I have been screaming about for such a long time and that issue is mass transportation. Seriously, I do not know how many key-strokes I have hit in support of better mass transportation here in Suffolk County, NY. My fingers ache at this time.
After reading: Architect urges Long Island build 'walkable places' which was published in last week’s Newsday, all I wanted to do was scream into the atmosphere.
At this point due to the recession and yes foreclosures: Who is fiscally safe to purchase a newly built home, even with the amenities of mass transportation? Given our high tax bracket, high utility rates, high property taxes and such: Who can afford to purchase one of these newly proposed homes? The answer is NO ONE! Within my own community, I have seen home-after-home fall to foreclosure and this architect proposes building more? I am still scratching my head at that notion and idea.
As reported by Newsday in this article: “Nancy Douzinas, president of the Rauch Foundation, which publishes the index. To stimulate ideas, she announced a design contest, "Build a Better Burb," that will offer prizes to professionals, the public and children. The grand prize will be $10,000. Details are to come in March.” Huh? Seriously, I do not understand this prize giveaway. Oh wait! Get children involved who do not understand the complexities of our current real estate market. Give them some crayons and paper and wish them the best. This is the best they can do?
Back in the fifties, many suburbs were created, but what was left out was how to connect each with the other. Yes, we built roadways so that people could drive from one to another. Feel free to Google Robert Moses. But we were short sighted and did not foresee the future where mass transportation would be key within the suburbs. Even now, mass transportation is on the cutting block due to the deficit being felt by each New Yorker. To build new communities and to enhance them with mass transportation is backwards thinking. In my not so humble opinion, enhance mass transportation first.
Due to budget cuts coming from Albany, the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) will suspend transportation between Ronkonkoma and Greenport during the winter months and bring it back online during the summer season. Last Friday: Newsday’s front cover screamed out: “LI’s unemployment rate up again, to 7%” and these bozos want to build new communities? With what money? If 7% are not working, just how can they afford to purchase these new high-density communties?
There are many ‘walkable communities’ already in existence, but without a way of getting people from point A to point B who do not own a car here in Suffolk County and I have been screaming about that for years-upon-years. You see, due a medical condition, I do not drive and must rely on a pathetic mass transportation system here in Suffolk County. Our existing mass transportation system does not operate at night or on Sundays where people do work and shop. We who are at the mercy of this pathetic mass transportation system must take cabs which cost an arm and a leg. If you wish to take a cab from Sound Beach, NY where I live to Miller Place, NY where I work it will cost you $8 bucks as opposed to a bus that costs you a buck fifty each way.
In reading: "Tahchieva said "retrofitting or repairing" suburban sprawl involved "enhancing and revitalizing downtowns." It means making areas that once catered to cars pedestrian friendly: adding sidewalks, landscaping and transforming dangerous intersections, for example, into a town square." Many communities have sidewalks on busy thoroughfares such as Miller Place and Rocky Point, NY. No, they do not need landscaping. What they need are buses in order to get to those communities in order to shop and work. The dangerous intersections are mainly attributed to automobile accidents and not buses. In fact, I work near the intersection of Miller Place road and Route 25A in Miller Place, NY and I can tell you MOST accidents are due to automobile collisions and not buses.
When Tachieva stated: "So much depends on design. You can achieve very high densities with buildings that don't look scary." I feel this is putting the cart before the horse. We first need mass transportation instead of entire communities being built which at this time do not have the fiscal dollars to support them.
Those who are proponents of these high density communities must ask themselves: If we build them, will they come?
Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net
This is copyrighted material: Should you wish to use any portion of it, please email the author for permission.
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Based on a Politico.com article: I am sick of game-playing politicians
By Mary MacElveen
November 17, 2009
I posted the below tweet on my Twitter page citing how a hug between Gov. Charlie Crist and President Barack Obama as being a game being played by Marco Rubio. This Twitter came forth after reading a Politico.com article which discusses it.
MaryMacElveen You know when staunch conservatives like Rubio are out of ideas when a hug is their best ammo against Crist: http://tinyurl.com/yl4lqhz
Not posted due to space constraints on Twitter, this to me is just a political game to win over votes. People are truly hurting out here and they want to know how best a candidate can help them instead of playing these political games.
Don’t flash images in front of us treating us like children, but treat the voters as grown-ups where you go into detail how you will best serve us all.
Tell us how you will get healthcare into the hands of each and every American. Tell us how you will get millions back to work. Tell us how you will keep taxes at bay since we are drowning in higher-and-higher tax rates. Tell us how you will educate our children to insure a prosperous future for them. Tell us how you will lower the cost of food. As a cashier, I do see prices increasing and people struggling to make ends meet. I have witnessed first hand how they have to put a food item back because they simply cannot afford it.
When their eyes meet yours they are filled with embarrassment and where they lower their voice saying: “I do not have enough to pay for that” Welcome to my world as a grocery store cashier. I see that, but game-playing politicians do not.
Tell us all how you will go up against the evil empire known as credit card companies who are charging higher-and-higher interest rates and keeping us all in debt-bondage.
Tell us all how you will save a family from losing their homes due to bankruptcy. This is our new way of life and quite frankly, the American people are sick and tired of the game playing. Who knows how many families are being sent foreclosure notices everyday and where the sheriff shows up to evict them and toss their belongings onto the street as well as change the locks.
We see through the Stupak amendment real games being played when abortion is inserted into the mix. In my opinion, the ONLY reason it was put in was to kill health reform in this country for those who truly need it. Rep. Bart Stupak has healthcare, yet is playing games with yours.
As I watched “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” last night, tears came to me as they aired the first free-clinic in New Orleans. This was done to put pressure on Sen. Mary Landrieu to back healthcare reform. She did not show up to this event and declined to be interviewed. COWARD! This as one thousand of her constituents showed up to see a doctor in which four had to be raced to the hospital. What a game player she is as thousands more suffer and millions more across this country. Sen. Landrieu has healthcare yet can deny her constituents the chance at seeing a doctor? If so, she deserves to lose her seat in the senate to one that will demand the right of every citizen to see a doctor.
If this is okay with tea-baggers, I will call them all unpatriotic, because they are not putting country first. Country first also means to me where each citizen has the right to see a doctor. Yes, even a woman who may seek to have an abortion. Patriotism, doesn’t only mean backing one’s country in a time of war. I prefer the former over the latter. The latter has all but drained out economy.
Exactly where were these tea-baggers and game playing politicians when it came to war funding? They want a balanced budget NOW?! Too late. You should have thought of that years ago.
The cost of both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is fast approaching $933 billion dollars, yet the right-wing seems to back these wars and not healthcare for all. What sanctimonious idiots they are. These right-wingers are truly showing just how unpatriotic they are.
They will tell us all in a bold-face lie that it is to win the war on terror. Sorry there is not a chance in hell of doing that. Due to our foreign policies abroad and keeping a military footprint in areas so volatile, we will always have enemies.
We can however win the war on terror on the medical front by insuring people can see a doctor where an illness does not become a catastrophic illness. To treat a catastrophic illness costs this country more. When a sick person cannot see a doctor, to me that is true terror!
So, game-playing politicians, tell us how you will help us with detailed plans instead of floating a picture of a hug between two politicians. If you are successful in your campaign, the hardest part is now upon you to actually get the people’s business done. My question is by using tactics like these: Are you even up for the job?
Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net
Copyrighted material: Should you wish to use any portion of it, please email the author for permission.
November 17, 2009
I posted the below tweet on my Twitter page citing how a hug between Gov. Charlie Crist and President Barack Obama as being a game being played by Marco Rubio. This Twitter came forth after reading a Politico.com article which discusses it.
MaryMacElveen You know when staunch conservatives like Rubio are out of ideas when a hug is their best ammo against Crist: http://tinyurl.com/yl4lqhz
Not posted due to space constraints on Twitter, this to me is just a political game to win over votes. People are truly hurting out here and they want to know how best a candidate can help them instead of playing these political games.
Don’t flash images in front of us treating us like children, but treat the voters as grown-ups where you go into detail how you will best serve us all.
Tell us how you will get healthcare into the hands of each and every American. Tell us how you will get millions back to work. Tell us how you will keep taxes at bay since we are drowning in higher-and-higher tax rates. Tell us how you will educate our children to insure a prosperous future for them. Tell us how you will lower the cost of food. As a cashier, I do see prices increasing and people struggling to make ends meet. I have witnessed first hand how they have to put a food item back because they simply cannot afford it.
When their eyes meet yours they are filled with embarrassment and where they lower their voice saying: “I do not have enough to pay for that” Welcome to my world as a grocery store cashier. I see that, but game-playing politicians do not.
Tell us all how you will go up against the evil empire known as credit card companies who are charging higher-and-higher interest rates and keeping us all in debt-bondage.
Tell us all how you will save a family from losing their homes due to bankruptcy. This is our new way of life and quite frankly, the American people are sick and tired of the game playing. Who knows how many families are being sent foreclosure notices everyday and where the sheriff shows up to evict them and toss their belongings onto the street as well as change the locks.
We see through the Stupak amendment real games being played when abortion is inserted into the mix. In my opinion, the ONLY reason it was put in was to kill health reform in this country for those who truly need it. Rep. Bart Stupak has healthcare, yet is playing games with yours.
As I watched “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” last night, tears came to me as they aired the first free-clinic in New Orleans. This was done to put pressure on Sen. Mary Landrieu to back healthcare reform. She did not show up to this event and declined to be interviewed. COWARD! This as one thousand of her constituents showed up to see a doctor in which four had to be raced to the hospital. What a game player she is as thousands more suffer and millions more across this country. Sen. Landrieu has healthcare yet can deny her constituents the chance at seeing a doctor? If so, she deserves to lose her seat in the senate to one that will demand the right of every citizen to see a doctor.
If this is okay with tea-baggers, I will call them all unpatriotic, because they are not putting country first. Country first also means to me where each citizen has the right to see a doctor. Yes, even a woman who may seek to have an abortion. Patriotism, doesn’t only mean backing one’s country in a time of war. I prefer the former over the latter. The latter has all but drained out economy.
Exactly where were these tea-baggers and game playing politicians when it came to war funding? They want a balanced budget NOW?! Too late. You should have thought of that years ago.
The cost of both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is fast approaching $933 billion dollars, yet the right-wing seems to back these wars and not healthcare for all. What sanctimonious idiots they are. These right-wingers are truly showing just how unpatriotic they are.
They will tell us all in a bold-face lie that it is to win the war on terror. Sorry there is not a chance in hell of doing that. Due to our foreign policies abroad and keeping a military footprint in areas so volatile, we will always have enemies.
We can however win the war on terror on the medical front by insuring people can see a doctor where an illness does not become a catastrophic illness. To treat a catastrophic illness costs this country more. When a sick person cannot see a doctor, to me that is true terror!
So, game-playing politicians, tell us how you will help us with detailed plans instead of floating a picture of a hug between two politicians. If you are successful in your campaign, the hardest part is now upon you to actually get the people’s business done. My question is by using tactics like these: Are you even up for the job?
Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net
Copyrighted material: Should you wish to use any portion of it, please email the author for permission.
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Stony Brook University Hotel is: Jobs, Baby, Jobs
By Mary MacElveen
November 7, 2009
A new report was released on Friday (November 6th, 2009) citing that the unemployment rate presently stands at 10.2 percent. That figure is nothing to sneeze at during this cold and flu season. It means that America is sick when so many Americans are out of work, or quite frankly have given up looking for work. In my opinion, this is a pandemic that has spread coast-to-coast with absolutely no relief in sight.
In my opinion THE MOST POWERFUL words in today’s economy are: “I have a job”, but for millions they do not feel such power. For many past bread-winners, they are finding it tougher and tougher to put mac-and-cheese on the dinner table.
In the past, I have reported where food pantries are barren due to our economic crisis. We can do better than that for our citizens and we must.
Just recently, I read a Newsday article that made the bile rise from beneath my throat. Newsday reported where Stony Brook University plans to build a hotel on their campus to be used in a multitude of ways. In my opinion the building of this hotel on the Stony Brook campus is a win-win situation. The reason, the bile rose within my throat is because some opposed the construction of it. Idiots!
While some are concerned this project will encroach upon the green-belt of Suffolk County, NY, exactly where have their voices been as suburban sprawl has encroached upon our county year-after-year? This suburban sprawl has put many to work and now through this sole-project, they are worried the green-belts will be decimated? Oh please as one looks at one baron strip mall after another.
I am still scratching my head that suburban sprawl has not been met with this same ridicule and protest as this lone hotel project has been.
According to Newsday some civic leaders: “worry that placing it on 11 acres in a wooded area near the campus' main entrance will jeopardize a "greenbelt" of trees along Nicolls Road and commercialize the roadway.” I would invite these civic leaders to look at Suffolk County as a whole and not the microcosm of this project. Just look upon the environmental impact at the expansion of Route 347 has had to Suffolk County. I have written of that before.
You want to look at an eye-sore? Just look at the development project that replaced the former Davis Peach Farm in Miller Place, NY to know what I speak of. The Davis Peach Farm produced local produce, now the land is block-upon-block of cookie-cutter homes with increased traffic surrounding the development. No one said boo about this development being built.
Malcolm Bowman, a professor of marine and environmental sciences stated: “The campus forest is our heritage, and we built this great university in the center of this forest, so we must do everything we can to minimize the damage," Let him state that to a tradesman who has been out of work for a long time and needs to feed his family. It will NOT compute. Me, personally, I would love to see that exchange.
Stony Brook University who has been at the forefront of building this hotel stated that the building of this hotel has been in the works since 1989 was not an “impulsive decision” In fact, Stony Brook University stated: “It took 20 years to come to an agreement with a developer that was interested in preserving the buffer and working within the university footprint guidelines.”
So for those who have a knee-jerk reaction opposing this hotel’s construction, you will see it has been a well thought out project.
Having acquainted myself with Kara Hahn via numerous Democratic functions in the past, I paid close attention to her sentiments on this hotel’s construction where she said, “her group was opposed to commercialization along Nicolls Road. She said after meeting with university officials last week, "I think they understand our concerns and I hope to work with them so we can maintain that buffer.", I have to wonder how many food pantries she has visited lately or has she been paying attention to the unemployment rate? Kara, people are starving for work and food.
Quite frankly, this hotel’s construction is about, jobs period. Jobs are our lifeline where breadwinners can come home with the bacon in order to feed their families. Those who will build this hotel will take their earnings to many points along the way feeding our economy. A local supermarket where these construction workers will shop to bring home that bacon will thrive from this incoming business as well as local delis and 7/11s. Should these construction workers need items to construct this hotel, the Home Depots or Lowes will benefit from increased dollars going into their companies. All of these companies that I have mentioned will surely see increased sales where they can retain their employees and their employees will NOT fear being laid off in this strenuous economy.
Once this hotel is completed, just think of the jobs it will bring to this local area. Not familiar with hotel market: imagine how many maids, laundry personnel, barkeep, restaurateurs, chefs, waitresses, front clerks and the list is endless that they can employ. These are good paying jobs where we as a nation need to put people back to work. If any of these personnel find themselves in these new jobs, think of where they can spend their money. The list is endless, but more importantly, they can put food on the family table. It truly boggles the mind how anyone can stand in the way of this economic progress.
This is purely a local stimulus package which should not be stopped, but embraced for the workers it will employ. I say, go for it!
Author’s email address is xmjmac@optonline.net
Copyrighted material: Should you wish to use any portion of this column, please contact the author.
November 7, 2009
A new report was released on Friday (November 6th, 2009) citing that the unemployment rate presently stands at 10.2 percent. That figure is nothing to sneeze at during this cold and flu season. It means that America is sick when so many Americans are out of work, or quite frankly have given up looking for work. In my opinion, this is a pandemic that has spread coast-to-coast with absolutely no relief in sight.
In my opinion THE MOST POWERFUL words in today’s economy are: “I have a job”, but for millions they do not feel such power. For many past bread-winners, they are finding it tougher and tougher to put mac-and-cheese on the dinner table.
In the past, I have reported where food pantries are barren due to our economic crisis. We can do better than that for our citizens and we must.
Just recently, I read a Newsday article that made the bile rise from beneath my throat. Newsday reported where Stony Brook University plans to build a hotel on their campus to be used in a multitude of ways. In my opinion the building of this hotel on the Stony Brook campus is a win-win situation. The reason, the bile rose within my throat is because some opposed the construction of it. Idiots!
While some are concerned this project will encroach upon the green-belt of Suffolk County, NY, exactly where have their voices been as suburban sprawl has encroached upon our county year-after-year? This suburban sprawl has put many to work and now through this sole-project, they are worried the green-belts will be decimated? Oh please as one looks at one baron strip mall after another.
I am still scratching my head that suburban sprawl has not been met with this same ridicule and protest as this lone hotel project has been.
According to Newsday some civic leaders: “worry that placing it on 11 acres in a wooded area near the campus' main entrance will jeopardize a "greenbelt" of trees along Nicolls Road and commercialize the roadway.” I would invite these civic leaders to look at Suffolk County as a whole and not the microcosm of this project. Just look upon the environmental impact at the expansion of Route 347 has had to Suffolk County. I have written of that before.
You want to look at an eye-sore? Just look at the development project that replaced the former Davis Peach Farm in Miller Place, NY to know what I speak of. The Davis Peach Farm produced local produce, now the land is block-upon-block of cookie-cutter homes with increased traffic surrounding the development. No one said boo about this development being built.
Malcolm Bowman, a professor of marine and environmental sciences stated: “The campus forest is our heritage, and we built this great university in the center of this forest, so we must do everything we can to minimize the damage," Let him state that to a tradesman who has been out of work for a long time and needs to feed his family. It will NOT compute. Me, personally, I would love to see that exchange.
Stony Brook University who has been at the forefront of building this hotel stated that the building of this hotel has been in the works since 1989 was not an “impulsive decision” In fact, Stony Brook University stated: “It took 20 years to come to an agreement with a developer that was interested in preserving the buffer and working within the university footprint guidelines.”
So for those who have a knee-jerk reaction opposing this hotel’s construction, you will see it has been a well thought out project.
Having acquainted myself with Kara Hahn via numerous Democratic functions in the past, I paid close attention to her sentiments on this hotel’s construction where she said, “her group was opposed to commercialization along Nicolls Road. She said after meeting with university officials last week, "I think they understand our concerns and I hope to work with them so we can maintain that buffer.", I have to wonder how many food pantries she has visited lately or has she been paying attention to the unemployment rate? Kara, people are starving for work and food.
Quite frankly, this hotel’s construction is about, jobs period. Jobs are our lifeline where breadwinners can come home with the bacon in order to feed their families. Those who will build this hotel will take their earnings to many points along the way feeding our economy. A local supermarket where these construction workers will shop to bring home that bacon will thrive from this incoming business as well as local delis and 7/11s. Should these construction workers need items to construct this hotel, the Home Depots or Lowes will benefit from increased dollars going into their companies. All of these companies that I have mentioned will surely see increased sales where they can retain their employees and their employees will NOT fear being laid off in this strenuous economy.
Once this hotel is completed, just think of the jobs it will bring to this local area. Not familiar with hotel market: imagine how many maids, laundry personnel, barkeep, restaurateurs, chefs, waitresses, front clerks and the list is endless that they can employ. These are good paying jobs where we as a nation need to put people back to work. If any of these personnel find themselves in these new jobs, think of where they can spend their money. The list is endless, but more importantly, they can put food on the family table. It truly boggles the mind how anyone can stand in the way of this economic progress.
This is purely a local stimulus package which should not be stopped, but embraced for the workers it will employ. I say, go for it!
Author’s email address is xmjmac@optonline.net
Copyrighted material: Should you wish to use any portion of this column, please contact the author.
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